THREE of Salisbury's leading arts organisations have agreed to move forward with plans to join together to secure more funding and increase the arts offer.

The trustees of Salisbury Playhouse, Ageas Salisbury International Arts Festival and Salisbury Arts Centre have been in discussions about future ways of working following an independent report that was commissioned earlier this year.

The talks have concluded that a combined organisation would "bring huge benefits to the area" — helping to draw in audiences from across the county and further afield and the creation of new work.

The first major step of the process will be a joint application to Arts Council England (ACE) to secure National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) funding for a four year period from April 2018. This could result in securing £1.27m each year for Salisbury and Wiltshire.

Tim Crarer, the chairman of the trustees of Salisbury Playhouse, said “After looking carefully at the options laid out in the independent report earlier this year the three organisations are excited by the recommendation that a combined operation would allow more of our public funding to go towards an expanded programme of artistic and community work as well as make substantial savings.

“As a group of arts organisations which already collaborate and contribute to the city’s economy and profile, we have high hopes for the new opportunities which lie ahead.”

Salisbury Arts Centre consulted with its members at its AGM last week, and the membership voted in favour of moving ahead with plans to develop a combined arts organisation in Salisbury. 

The merger is being overseen by a committee with representatives from the boards of the three organisations. The joint NPO application is to be submitted by February 1.